Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Date Night Idea

Okay, ladies, I firmly believe we need to be intentional with our husbands and frequently plan date nights.  Brad and I don't have a regularly schedule night of the week or month where we get out and reconnect so it forces some creativity.  Here is my latest plot & how I incorporated practicals and avoided complications.

1.  Spontaneity.  Yesterday morning I saw an advertisement for the premier of American Idol.  Thought it would make a great excuse for a date night.  Pick your favorite show to watch together or a new movie release and you have a theme for the night.  (Movies are just $1 at your local Redbox for a 24-hour rental.  TV shows are free.)  I hadn't even thought about doing this until 10am so you can do it anytime.  

2.  I initiated.  I sent my hubby a free Evite.com invitation that matched the theme of American Idol.  Found a red carpet invite and sent it to him...saying things like "join me on the red carpet," and started with clue #1: "I" must have you as my date tonight.  The "I" refers to Idol...You could use the following to jump start your idea:

Grey's Anatomy:  My skies will be gray without you, use medical references and play a game during commercials (Operation), drop the word "seriously" as often as you can all day.

Lost:  use an island theme or dazed/confused theme, create a maze on paper and give it to him in the morning before he leaves for work.

(Email me if you're having a hard time with a show or movie theme and I'll help you out!)

3.  Planned ahead with kids.  I made sure Colby took an early nap and Zoe just played in her room instead of sleeping so they'd be extra tired and able to go down a little early.  If you don't already have your kids going to bed at 8:00pm or earlier, I'd highly recommend it...for the sake of your marriage.

4.  Little, inexpensive options for the date night.  The judges always have huge red cups on the table so I picked some up from Wal-Mart ($1.50 for 4 tumblers) and some coke.  I got a mini-cheesecake for those "cheesy contestants."

4.  Clues throughout the day.  Clue #2: I sent Brad an email with a poem I'd written about him picking something up on his way home from work.  (In this case, a bottle of rum because he loves strawberry daquiries.)  Clue #3:  Sent him a text message using the phrase "try-outs" in keeping with tonight's show.

Dad, if you're reading this, please stop.

5.  Planned on sex.  Yep, I said it.  The flirtation throughout the day made me anticipate being with Brad and excited about a night together.  I had to get my mind and emotions in the game all day long and it blesses him when I'm intentional.  (BTW, if you can, find or make a sexy costume in keeping with your theme.) 

I had a blast with this.  My budget was limited and the last minute forced some resourcing but we had a great time!
I'll have Brad write on here about how he felt about the whole thing.

If you do something similar, post what you did on my comments and share any more ideas you have.  Let's help each other be the best wives ever!  Happy Planning, ladies!!

Monday, January 5, 2009

Zoe Quote

Zoe had been in the bathroom for quite some while.  I knew she was going #2 but she is usually a "get 'er done" kinda girl when it comes to using the toilet.  I quickly opened the door (element of surprise) to find her scrambling to replace the bubble bath.

I walked over to find the bright pink, strawberry flavored solution covering her "business."  Slightly frustrated and mostly humored, I asked "Zoe, why did you do that?"

To which she honestly and innocently replied:

"Cause the toilet stank."  

Brilliant, indeed, my three-year old is brilliant.  

Saturday, January 3, 2009

Moving On

It seems odd to me that moving on from one place to another can be such a difficult process. Odd, that as creatures of nomadic instinct and insatiability, we would find it deeply unsettling to move. I’m not sure if “we” refers to women or to wives or moms or perhaps the entire human race but I’m learning something about change that would not have been gained from moving on.

When faced with even a hint of movement, several things stir within the human soul. Fear. Excitement. Anticipation. Hope. It’s as though we’ve never experienced change or movement or progression in our whole existence. As if we never stopped drinking from a bottle to start enjoying the mess of big-kid cups. As if we never graduated from one grade to another, and another and another. As if marrying the love of your life didn’t bring a world of change, growth, and transition.

But, nonetheless, we struggle to identify all the swirls of emotion and thoughts and most of all: the implications. Now let me transition to first person to make this honest and certainly vulnerable.

I had feared change for such a long time. I mean really feared the change. Not so much a: “whoa, this could be interesting,” but a “holy #*@$!, this could be %*&@# hard and bad and I am certainly not up for this right now.” (I told you I would be honest.) In the midst of the journey, there was not clarity or foresight and there was definitely not an easy path or an easy answer. There were all kinds of strings that had taken strong bind over each corner of my being. Little had I realized that those strings had turned into ropes and fused into iron links. I was walking with weight and restriction. Maybe not so much walking but just swaying back and forth, giving the idea of movement but actually not getting anywhere. I was shocked at the fear that was exposed in me and especially the fear of man that made me think some pretty funky ideas.

Thankfully, I have a great husband who tends to get through things a few steps before me and make the path a little more distinct. He could see. He knew. He had the smallest amount of hope that it would be better on the other side. It was his mustard seed that would move my mountain.

So we decided. We made hundreds of itsy bitsy baby steps that were simply in the right direction. We sacrificed. We let go of places that held our identity and our security. We surrendered our comfort and our wills and our safety. We searched for the exit door that was behind dozens of dark corners and hidden staircases and walked through it. We had been told it didn’t exist and made to believe that if it did, the other side would only promise uncertain fields and unmarked skies. As our hand pushed the handle closed, it would take a whole new level of faith to turn around.
Staring at a closed door is often more comforting than turning to see the new environment.

Let me say this: I’ve left the details of our movement very vague because well, just because.   It’s these more recent moves and changes that put the most glorious light into the days before us. I’m putting my confidence in the days before me, the virgin mornings that haven’t been lived, and the pure evenings that will hold my most meaningful investments of love, mercy, and justice.

My God is making all things new.